5 Days to Better Sermon Preparation

This post has
36
Replies |
5
Followers

Some folks are familiar with my series on using Logos for sermon preparation. But over the last year, I have had folks ask if I could add some more information about the actual 5 day planning process behind the Logos series. I have started to post those videos on YouTube on the following playlist http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8AA3949989A57B88

If anyone is willing to like the videos on YouTube, leave a comment, and/or able to promote them on FB / Twitter, etc... I sure would appreciate it. Everything is free, so your Kudos are a great payment of appreciation :-)

FYI if you have an iPad download the new app Pocket (formally Read It Later) it allows you to save and tag videos, so you can have a quick way to gather various video tutorials. I used it to "bookmark" Joe's video series and it's a great interface. It also then allows you to share the video (or article) on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as well!

FYI if you have an iPad download the new app Pocket (formally Read It Later) it allows you to save and tag videos, so you can have a quick way to gather various video tutorials. I used it to "bookmark" Joe's video series and it's a great interface. It also then allows you to share the video (or article) on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as well!

Thanks Joe for your post. I personally try to do a three day sermon preparation schedule, but circumstances make even that difficult at times.

I know it's a different train of thought, but while there are many excellent tutorials, resources and books on expository sermon preparation, can anyone suggest some helpful resources on preparing topical sermons? While the later preparation steps are in common with expository sermon preparation, I haven't come across much that advises or helps in detail in the early stages of preparing topical sermons, even though I've read or consulted a fair number of books on the topic. I'm not thinking of situation specific sermons, such as weddings and funerals, but run of the mill topical series or individual sermons.

can anyone suggest some helpful resources on preparing topical sermons?

Starting next week, I have a series starting on YouTube that covers the types of preaching (Exegetical, Expository, Topical, Narrative, etc...), but I suspect not with the kind of details you are looking for.

can anyone suggest some helpful resources on preparing topical sermons?

I don't know if this is what you are looking for, but one of the books that I like most on this subject is Communicating for a Change: Seven Keys to Irresistible Communication by Andy Stanley. Unfortunately it is not in the Logos system yet. Stanley's primary contention is that sermons should be presented differently if the goal is life change. He shares his Me-We-God-You-We sermon road map, to craft a memorable one point sermon.

Hi Alabama24, thanks for that pointer. Yes, I'm in theory converted to the principle that a sermon ought to be seeking 'transformation' in people's lives, rather than mere 'communication' of truth (it's a little more diffcult to keep to that in practice, though). And that a sermon generally ought to have one main thrust, which the main and sub points support. This is not too difficult for an expository sermon, generally speaking.

However, my desire is to try to find some helpful pointers on preparing topical sermons. I know that I can just choose a topic, and find Bible verses to suit, but I wonder if there is advice that I might benefit from (or rather that my hearers might receive the benefit) from those much more expert in preaching and teaching on the subject. Even if there is no 'correct' method of preparing a topical sermon, I'm sure there would be benefit from analysing trends or features of the best topical sermons preached. I'm keen to learn how to preach better topical sermons, and imagine that there would be some specific teaching on the subject already.

Starting next week, I have a series starting on YouTube that covers the types of preaching (Exegetical, Expository, Topical, Narrative, etc...), but I suspect not with the kind of details you are looking for.

Hi Joe, I've got some info on the different types of preaching, as you outline. It analyses some of the structural differences and advantages/disadvantages etc. of each type of preaching. That is helpful.

But I'm looking for more detail as to preparation steps for a topical sermon. There are some points that seem fairly obvious to me, but as I don't preach topical sermons as much as some people do, I'm sure that I could learn from others more expert in the subject. There might not be a 'right' way of preparing topical sermons, but there might be just some very helpful tips, as well as things to avoid. Or have I got it wrong - is preparing a topical sermon really so easy that there really isn't any need to learn from others on the subject?